iN FiVE YEARS: FATHER FiGURE PART-ONE1
by yoursuperheroisshowing
Summary: Pairings: Chalant and Spitfire Summary:The Team investigates a unanimous shipment that airs of future threat. Meanwhile as Zatanna gets used to her new life without her father, Robin is ordered to 'lay low' after a close encounter about his other life by Batman. Chronology:Forget the New Year's kisses. Spitfire still 'despises' each other, Chalant is innocent flirting. Y'all enjoy!


**Authors Note: **As for the chronology, mash up Nabu taking over Zatara and little time passed since Alud Acquaintances (this series is about what happens during the five year time-skip.) As for the characters, forget the New Years's kisses. Wally and Artemis are still in their beginning phase while Robin and Zatanna are still just friends. I also forgot to include Rocket because come on, they gave her no back story or depth in the show…I didn't have much to work with.

**MAY 27TH 6:18 A.M**

**THE CAVE**

_"RAH!"_ Artemis leaped up in a tight spiral. Her midair kick sent Kid Flash skidding across the combat floor in a red and yellow blur, winded and wide-eyed. Then from his pathetic position on the concrete, he groaned and slammed his head down in frustration.

It was too early for combat, let alone fighting one of the best on the Team. As he quickly got to his feet, checked his balance, then brushed the red hair from his eyes, she waited; smirk on her face, energy flowing like a charged Red Bull.

_More frustration._

"How do you do that?" he panted. "You're a blonde." Words gave him encouragement as he worked intently to take her out. He stepped in, awareness guarding her incoming moves. Artemis weaved in quickly; a snake that knew what she was doing. When he dodged her foot-swipe, he went for a swing at her shoulder. Barely missing her, she swiveled away in a quick step-back. Now he was regaining his confidence. "And a _chick._"

Fury was provoked. Her eyes narrowed darkly. Artemis dropped to the floor in a fluid motion, channeling her anger into fierce technique. Her heel jabbed his side in a forceful swipe. Kid Flash toppled over onto his face.

"Gee, sexist asshole much?" she retorted. Her eyes lost their dark as a hint of perk from her recent success made its way through. Her index finger spun loosely around one of her gold locks in admiration. He steadied himself back up, brows deeply furrowed. "_Sucks to suck_." His nostrils let out a flare.

Now Kid Flash had joined her annoyance. Their swings came out faster, harder, and packed with bitter competition.

"Beating up guys isn't hot, f.y.i" Kid Flash sneered as he ducked.

"Was I trying to impress you? No." She back-flipped.

"Hell of a lot seems like it."

"Clearly that last kick went to your _head_."

Meanwhile in the corner of the room, Miss Martian and Aqualad watched the pair bicker. To them, it was nothing short of entertaining.

With a strong sigh, Aqualad shook his head. "They behave as if they are married" he muttered amusingly.

Miss Martian giggled. "It's kind of cute to me, you know, when it doesn't get too heated." A slight frown then crossed her face. "I just hope they don't really hurt each other before the mission briefing. Do you think they even know about it?"

"Too engaged in themselves at the moment; not even recalling why they are here at this hour. I am certain that they will come to their senses when Batman arrives."

With a light little leap into the air, Miss Martian levitated herself to go and get Superboy from his room; Batman was always prompt when it came to…anything. Before she left, she turned back to Aqualad in confusion. "Robin isn't here, is he?"

He thought for a moment. If Robin wasn't around Wally then he wasn't around at all. "I believe he is with Batman, finishing off their duties in Gotham. I trust he will not be too outrun to pursue a back-to-back mission."

She shrugged. "Well, he's pretty well trained for his age. I'm sure he'll be just fine." She rose up higher, then took off to the dorm hall.

**6:59 A.M**

The zeta began to glow. As it announced Batman and Robin's names, The Team stood up a little straighter in their uniformed formation.

Then the duo materialized from inside the tunnel and stepped out. Batman stopped in front of the team to begin the mission briefing. Robin kept on going. Not moving their heads, The Team's eyes followed him in itching curiosity.

He kept walking. Finally, the black of his cape melted into the dark of a hall as he disappeared like a quiet ghost. Kid Flash opened his mouth to say something. Batman narrowed his eyes at him in silent, legit warning. He shut it instantly and gulped.

**7:21 A.M**

Robin round-housed the stone wall of his dorm room in red-hot rage. With a deep grunt, he ran up it, jumped off, then kicked it again harder.

How could he have messed up so bad? Blowing his identity cover was something expected only in his first year, not when he was fifteen. Growling loudly at himself, his foot thrust stubbornly against the rock.

He continued this routine till his sweat threatened to drown him. The built-up anger was beginning to subside as his exhaustion kicked in. Collapsing onto his bed, he breathed in heavily. A sense of suffocation whelmed him as his wet uniform plastered itself against his body, encasing his rapidly rising-and-falling chest.

His cape, shirt, and combat boots came off in a swift tear. Relief eased in as the cold air brushed up against his bare skin; a relaxing rush. He unclipped his utilty belt and tossed that in with the rest of his clothes. Next, he began to wrestle himself out of the pants.

With all the rough noise he had been making, naturally there was some attention to be attracted. Yeah. Anxious to know the source, Zatanna had charged out of her room in investigation. Now she was stealthily approaching the door, a spell readying itself in her head.

It was open, so the sounds of someone being mauled, beaten, was much more vivid. Her insides clenched as she prepared for attack. It had been quiet for some time. _Nothing_ for some time. Zatanna was hungry for some action and someone who had interest to break into the Cave seemed promising enough as an experience.

Jumping into the room in ambush, her hands sparked in an iridescent blue as her eyes glowered threateningly at her challenge.

_"Won sd-!"_

-And her irises grew. Shock petrified her for a still moment. Then she quickly looked widely around up at the ceiling, blinking.

"Okay, _wow_. Um, hey Robin. How's it going?"

Tugging back on his pants, Robin's cheeks were set afire. Sweat was beginning to rise again in a steaming wave. No, she didn't see anything, but that didn't matter to him. He was no Wally and she wasn't in his imagination- it was adapt or be consumed by his own embarrassment.

"Good, fine. Great actually_, really great_. I'm doing great. _And you?_ How about you? How are _you_?"

Peeking out from the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse his decency. He still had no shirt on but after all these years of knowing the dork that he was, she stood unfazed by his anatomically perfect structure.

With lean against the doorway, she crossed her arms and gave a little nod in the direction of the hall. "Abandoned. Canary wants me to hold off on missions for a little while so I can…get used to things."

Get used to things. Robins eyes grew soft from behind his mark. Sliding his knees up, he motioned for her to sit with him. Zatanna crossed into the room and sat comfortably on the bed where his legs used to be. Her head rested against the wall as she messed with the string of her baggy sweat pants. Robin lost himself in consideration for a moment. Something told him that she had been in her pajamas for a while now.

"Yeah? How's that coming along?" he asked, showing his concern.

She thought for a moment. "I'll get it eventually." The thought pricked her mind sharply. It aimed to do more damage so she cut it off at the source. "Enough about me" she managed to drop the subject. "Why aren't you with everyone else?"

"Bats wants me to- lay low for a little while." His eyes sharply hit the corner. A sudden scowl crossed his face in tension. Zatanna nodded, knowing this was a conversation he didn't want to get into. She had already heard the beginning effect it had on him.

He gently tapped her knee with his foot. "I'll just tell you later."

With a sigh, she slid her head off the wall to lie down. "Later means you're staying?"

"I guess so."

Silence stood between them. "So…what now?"

Breaking himself out of Robin-mode, he realized that even if it was just for a little while, he was now uncensored. Bats had business and the Team was occupied. Zatanna needed to crack a smile. He was there for her.

He moved over to lie down with her. "Well" he said while settling himself by her side. "I'm hungry." A snort from her broke the hard silence, then was followed by a relaxed chuckle.

"You and Wally spend too much time together; you're like the same guy" she remarked. Then her mind drifted into a flashback. "Remember when we were kids? And three of us would always cause trouble whenever we met up at the Watchtower?"

Robin burst out laughing. It wasn't something he did often nowadays. She liked the way it sounded; rich and genuine.

"Oh, _yeah_. Hey, remember when we first met? We used to drive each other insane with all those pranks and fights and shit? _Those _were the days."

She started laughing too. "Yeah- I don't think that stopped."

Twisting her silky black hair around his finger, he turned his head. From his angle, he could feel the heat of her cheeks. "Does that bother you?"

Still gazing up at the ceiling, she pulled back her hair. "Not really."

"Good" he replied, taking back the lock of her hair. She rolled her eyes and retrieved it. He pulled again. She bumped him off the bed. The stupid grin on his face was irreversible.

"Yup, everything seems the same to me." He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her down to the floor with a thud.

**7:52 P.M**

**NORTH BYALiA**

Aqualad's natural tone of seriousness rang in every word his mind spoke.

_"Superboy, clear up the west with caution, they are armed. Miss Martian, position the bioship overhead Superboy's designation. Artemis, watch his back from your hiding. Kid, wait for the sector to be cleared with Artemis. Be ready to run when all is secure."_

Kid Flash rolled his eyes. _"Are you kidding me?"_

_"What part of _physic link_ do you not understand?"_ Artemis thought angrily.

_"Oh shit."_

_"Wally, language." _

_"Sorry M'gaan, I didn't want to upset you… or make you uncomfortable."_

_"Just get your ass over here, Baywatch!"_

_"The both of you, knock it off! This is not at all necessary."_

"AUGH!"

_"Now look what you did, Miss _Perfect._ You pissed off Supey."_

_"I'm pretty sure your cheesy flirting did the job."_

_"What do you mean che-?!"_

_"-Cease this NOW. I will have the notion to report this to Batman if it continues"_

Grudgingly, Kid Flash stepped through the trees. His feet lightly padded the damp forest floor.

_"Fine. Where are you?"_

_"Say cheese. I'm _looking_ at you."_

A small shudder ran through his spine. Her and Robin; what was with that ninja thing they did?

Glancing up, all he could make out was a thick gathering of exotic leaves holding nothing else. Slipping on his goggles, he then picked out the tip of her ponytail.

It was a pretty tall tree and he was impressed- not that he would ever tell her that. Being one of the strongest on the Team, his assurance of climbing up without a hitch was secure. With an unnecessary flex of his arm muscles, he began to maneuver himself through the tangled mass of wood. Leaves. Branches. More leaves. Even more branches.

After some time, he made it to the top with Artemis, concealed in nature. Done. The little grace-period settled into him as he chalantly leaned against the thicker branches. His hands settled casually behind his head. Artemis was still at attention. He scoffed and rolled his eyes. Overachiever.

Then reaching for some food in his glove compartment, his foot slid through a gap in the trunk. _Fail._ _"I am not climbing this thing again!" _He caught himself, but couldn't stop the rattling of the branches. Leaves began to rain down.

Artemis slowly turned her head to face him. Her eyes gleamed with flames in the moonlight from behind her mask. With nothing in his defense, a sheepish grin crossed his face. Be it scared or intimidated, he wasn't going to show it. She shook her ponytail in annoyance, and then turned to fixate her focus back on Superboy's blindside as he attacked.

Meanwhile, she couldn't help the smile that had spread across her face.

**TO BE CONTiNUED**


End file.
